Card game with auction function

ABSTRACT

A method of playing a card game by a number of players competing for a jackpot contributed by the players that includes performing an auction phase by a computer. The auction phase can be applied to any kind of poker and includes the steps of revealing a face value of an auction card; auctioning the auction card; and (i) eliminating the auction card when none of the players makes a bid for the auction card, (ii) awarding the auction card to a player who makes a sole bid and requiring the player to pay the amount of the sole bid into the jackpot, or (iii) awarding the auction card to a player who makes a winning bid among a plurality of bids and requiring the player to pay the amount of the winning bid to the player having the second best bid. The step of auctioning the auction card includes a bidding period that is timed by a computer (connected with the input terminal of the manager when the manager is not a computer). Each user utilizes a keypad and/or touch screen display to input and increase bids.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is continuation-in part of and claims priority to U.S.Ser. No. 12/794,107, filed Jun. 4, 2010, which is pending and which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

U.S. Ser. No. 12/794,107 is a non-provisional counterpart to and claimspriority to U.S. Ser. No. 61/184,087 filed on Jun. 4, 2009, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to card games and to methods of playing cardgames. In particular, the invention relates card games having a pokercard game emulation.

2. Discussion of the Background of the Invention

Poker is a group of card games played where a plurality of playersattempts to win an amount of money or chips, i.e., the jackpot,contributed by the players themselves. The specific rules of poker varyby custom and geography.

In general, poker is divided into a series of hands, which begin when apredefined number of cards, typically, western playing cards, arerandomly dealt to each player so that the other players are unable tosee the value of the cards, i.e., face down.

After the initial deal, each player must make a bet in a predeterminedsequence, usually clockwise around the table. The first bettor can bet apredetermined minimum amount or raise and bet more than thepredetermined minimum. Each subsequent bettor must match maximumprevious bet or fold and lose all interest in the hand. The bettinground ends when all players have either matched the last bet or folded.If all but one player folds on any round, the remaining player collectsthe jackpot without showing his hand. If more than one player remains incontention after the final betting round, the hands are shown and thewinning hand takes the jackpot.

A hand may end at the showdown, in which case the remaining playerscompare their hands and the highest hand is awarded the jackpot; thathighest hand is usually held by only one player, but can be held by morein the case of a tie. The other possibility for the conclusion of a handis when all but one player have folded and have thereby abandoned anyclaim to the jackpot, in which case the jackpot is awarded to the playerwho has not folded.

However, traditional poker games fail to provide excitement and interestto certain players. Thus, a more interesting game and method of playingthe game is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other needs are met in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention by a method of playing a card game by a number ofplayers competing for a jackpot contributed by the players that includesperforming an auction phase. The auction phase includes the steps ofrevealing a face value of an auction card; auctioning the auction card;and (i) eliminating the auction card when none of the players makes abid for the auction card, (ii) awarding the auction card to a player whomakes a sole bid and requiring the player to pay the amount of the solebid into the jackpot, or (iii) awarding the auction card to a player whomakes a winning bid among a plurality of bids and requiring the playerto pay the amount of the winning bid to a player having the second-bestbid. The step of auctioning the auction card includes a bidding periodthat is timed. The auction phase can be applied to any kind of poker(5-draw, Texas Hold'em, Omaha etc.).

Therein the present invention is a method of playing an innovative gameof chance that combines the game of poker (and its variations) with acomputer which performs the auction phase, i.e. which acts as a timingdevice and allows players to purchase cards by means of a specialAuction where the bids do not normally increase the jackpot, but ratherincrease the money (or score) of another player in proportion to theamount of the bids.

The aim of the game is to accumulate the most money (real or virtual) orpoints possible; this may happen by winning the jackpot (thanks to theindividual cards purchased in the auction phase) or through the abilityto participate at the right moment in the auction in order to be thesecond-best bidder and thereby receiving from the best bidder the amountof the winning bid (the best tactic is a combination of both thesestrategies).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will become more readily apparent from thedetailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the method of playing a card game inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the method of playing a card game of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the pre-play phase of the method of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A is a sample chart of the selections made by a manager duringpre-play phase 100.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the initial phase of the method of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the auction phase of the method of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5A refers to a casino (table) version of the game and is a sampledisplay screen of a player shown to all the other players, at thebeginning of the auction phase. Every (human) player at the table hasone display screen visible to him and to all other (human) players.

FIG. 5B refers to a casino (table) version of the game and is a sampledisplay screen of a player shown to all the other players, during theauction phase (i.e. after one or more bids for an auctioned card, whenother auctioned cards have already been purchased). Every (human) playerat the table has one display screen visible to him and to all other(human) players.

FIG. 5C refers to a casino (table) version of the game and is a keypador a touch screen, which is integrated in the table and is connectedwith the computer which performs the auction phase and thereby with allthe display screens. Each player at the table has his keypad (or touchscreen) and uses them to enter bids during the auction phase.

FIG. 5D refers to an on-line version or a video poker version of thegame and is a sample display screen shown to a (human) player. Theplayer uses the screen to track the progress of the game (for example:to know the bids and the status of the other players, either human orgenerated by the computer, during the auction phase). The screen is atouch screen (or has a keypad), so the player uses it to bid during theauction phase.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the final phase of the method of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the post-play phase of the method of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of theinvention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whereverpossible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawingsand the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. Thedrawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, amethod of playing a card game comprises certain steps of playing pokerwith a timed auction wherein players purchase cards by means of a timedauction where the bids do not increase the jackpot, but rather increasethe money or score of another player in proportion to the amount of thebids.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the method of playing a card game inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2is a flowchart of the method of playing a card game of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 isa flowchart of the pre-play phase of the method of FIG. 2. FIG. 3A is asample chart of the selections made by a manager during pre-play phase100. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the initial phase of the method of FIG. 2.FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the auction phase of the method of FIG. 2. FIG.5A refers to a casino (table) version of the game and is a sampledisplay screen of a player shown to all the other players, at thebeginning of the auction phase. Every (human) player at the table hasone display screen visible to him and to all other (human) players. FIG.5B refers to a casino (table) version of the game and is a sampledisplay screen of a player shown to all the other players, during theauction phase (i.e. after one or more bids for an auctioned card, whenother auctioned cards have already been purchased). Every (human) playerat the table has one display screen visible to him and to all other(human) players. FIG. 5C refers to a casino (table) version of the gameand is a keypad or a touch screen, which is integrated in the table andis connected with the computer which performs the auction phase andthereby with all the display screens. Each player at the table has hiskeypad (or touch screen) and uses them to enter bids during the auctionphase. FIG. 5D refers to an on-line version or a video poker version ofthe game and is a sample display screen shown to a (human) player. Theplayer uses the screen to track the progress of the game (for example:to know the bids and the status of the other players, either human orgenerated by the computer, during the auction phase). The screen is atouch screen (or has a keypad), so the player uses it to bid during theauction phase. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the final phase of the method ofFIG. 2. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the post-play phase of the method ofFIG. 2.

In a method 10 of playing a card game 2, a plurality of players 12(e.g., 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, etc.) are provided a deck of cards 14 having aplurality of cards 15 and a computer 22 which acts as a timing deviceand performs the auction phase.

The plurality of players attempt to win a jackpot 20 that is a sum ofmoney, points, or credits contributed by the players from theirrespective purses 30 in the course of game 2. One or more players 12 maybe a computer or non-human player, while one or more other players 12are human players.

In one embodiment of the present invention (casino table version) eachhuman player 12 is provided with a display device 32 a that shows to himand to all other human players at the table, in every moment of theauction phase, the bids and the status of that player. In otherembodiments of the present invention (on-line version or video pokerversion) each human player 12 is provided with a display device 32 bthat can be used to track the progress of game 2 and enter bids using akeypad and/or a touch screen device.

Card game 2 comprises at least one hand 4, but typically comprises aplurality of hands 4, wherein each hand emulates a poker hand incombination with a timed auction.

Method 10 comprises a pre-play phase 100; a playing sequence of aninitial phase 120, an auction phase 140, and a final phase 160; and apost-play phase 180 if more than one hand is played. A hand 4 comprisesat least the playing sequence of phases 120, 140, and 160.

At least two players 12 are required to play card game 2. Preferably,the number of players 12 is limited to between four (4) to eight (8)players in the initial phase. While it is possible to play with fewerthan four (4) players, this makes the game less interesting, especiallyduring the auction phase, to be described below, because it is morelikely that an auction card 16 a is not interesting for any or eitherplayer.

Deck 14 may be a deck of western playing cards, as illustrated herein,but may also be traditional cards having more or less cards or differenttypes of cards than western playing cards. A deck of western cards, suchas deck 14, includes 52 cards 15 divided into four (4) suites of 13cards; e.g., suites: spades (“

”), hearts (“♥”), diamonds (“♦”), and clubs (“

”); and cards: numbered 2-10 inclusive (“2”, “3”, etc.), Jack (“J”),Queen (“Q”), King, (“K”) and Ace (“A”). Two jokers are optional,constituting the 53rd and 54th cards of deck 14 when so desired, and maysubstitute for any other card. However, deck 14 preferably does notinclude the jokers.

In addition to the players, a manager 16 may be present or one of theplayers may be designated to be a manager. However, manager 16 ispreferably not one of the players to ensure that one player cannotinfluence the pacing of card game 2. Manager 16 may be a casino, a gameorganizer and/or anyone else designated to manage or organize one ormore card game 2 and/or one or more hands 4; manager 16 may comprise oneor more persons or computers who may or may not be aware of each other.For example, manager 16 may be a table dealer as commonly found in acasino as well as the floor manager and any persons above or below anyother person. If manager 16 is a person, manager 16 is provided with aninput terminal 34 that can be used to control input criteria to be usedduring game 2. In this scenario, input terminal 34 is operativelycoupled (e.g., through a network) to computer 22 and displays 32 a inorder to manage game 2. This allows input terminal 34 to control thebehavior of computer 22 and displays 32 a in order to provide a moreinteractive game. Also, because players 12 do not have access to inputterminal 34, only the manager 16 can control the overall flow of game 2.If manager 16 is a computer (e.g., for online play), no input terminalis needed. Manager 16 may also be a regulatory or governmental agency ora group functioning in such a capacity or part of such a capacity.

Pre-play phase 100 proceeds at any time prior to initial phase 120.Therein, the players by consensus or fiat to determine certainadministrative matters in one or more steps 102, e.g., steps 102 a etal. Preferably, manager 16 of the game or hand may undertake to makesuch decisions.

In a step 102 a, performed before, at the same time, or after any otherstep in this phase, manager 16 determines the number of allowed players.Manager 16 may also determine an initial amount 30 a that is a sum ofmoney, credits, or points to which each player's purse 30 is limited:during all the hands of the game each player will not be allowed tospend more.

In a step 102 b, performed before, at the same time, or after any otherstep in this phase, manager 16 determines an individual entry amount,i.e., ante, 30 b that is a sum of money, credits, or points that eachplayer (regardless of who is the dealer) must ante in order to play hand4. Therein, the total of each of the entry amounts 30 b is jackpot 20.The selection of the ante by the manager 16 allows him to control thetype of players that are desired at the table. For example, if themanager 16 selects a high/expensive ante, the manager is more likely toattract experienced players or “high rollers.”

During a game and/or hand, purse 30 will comprise a liquidity 30 c thatrepresents the value of a player's purse at that moment and may be equalto zero. Money, credits, or points may be limited throughout the game toa predetermined amount given to each player so that the players do notsimply dispose of points as valueless.

In step 102 c, performed before, at the same time, or after any otherstep in this phase manager 16 determines a playing order 17 order inwhich players 12 become a dealer 18, e.g., deal one or more hands 4. Inthe alternative, manager 16 may be designated to be the dealer 18.

In step 102 d, performed before, at the same time, or after any otherstep in this phase, manager 16 determines the type of poker to beemulated; for example, 5-draw poker, Texas Hold'em poker, or Omahapoker. In this step, manager 16 determines also, according to the kindof poker to be emulated, if there are or not rounds of betting beforethe auction phase and how many personal cards must remain hidden untilthe end of the hand.

In step 102 e, performed before, at the same time, or after any otherstep in this phase, manager 16 determines a limit on the amount of thebets during the final phase.

In step 102 f, performed before, at the same time, or after any othersteps in this phase, manager 16 selects the parameters to be used duringthe auction phase: bidding period length and card decision periodlength. Only in the case of 2 or 3 players, manager 16 determines alsothe “wallet” for the auction phase, i.e. the limit to the amount thatcan be spent during the auction phase; in any other case this limit willbe equal to the jackpot plus the sums the player received for being thesecond best bidder and computer 22 will automatically select it. Manager16 may also determine the bidding period length for the final phase.

After manager 16 has selected the various criteria in steps 102 a-102 fwhich govern the logistics of each hand 4, the manager 16 inputs thisinformation into computer 22 via an input device where it is stored intable 200 (FIG. 3A). Alternatively, if manager 16 is a computer, such asin an online poker game, this information is stored locally in manager16.

For example, in order to cater to more instinctive and quick players,the manager 16 may set the bidding period length to be short (e.g., 3seconds). However, if the manager desires a more rational andintrospective game, the manager 16 may set the bidding period length tobe longer (e.g. 5 seconds). The manager 16 may also vary the biddingperiod length, or any other criteria for each hand 2 that is played byplayers 12. By doing this, manager 16 does not allow the players 12 tosettle into a rhythm.

Manager 16 may utilize input terminal 34 to input the various criteriain steps 102 a-102 f. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the manager hasselected the following parameters: four players, ante of $100 USD, a 4second auction phase bidding period length, a 15 second “keep oreliminate” period length, a 15 second final phase bidding period length,and a maximum total bet in the final phase no higher than 1.5 times thejackpot.

As there is a limit to the money that can be spent during the auctionphase (the reasons will be explained below), imposing limits to the betsin the final phase balances the game, and especially balances theimportance of the auction phase and the final phase. Therein, preferablya maximum total bet, including raises, equal to the jackpot, for eachplayer in the final phase is established. Alternatively, a maximum totalbet no higher than 1.5 times the jackpot to favor bluffing.

In the absence of limits, there is the risk that movements of money inthe auction phase will become irrelevant for the game results or, on thecontrary, that too many players will concentrate on parasitic tacticsduring the auction and give up on betting during the final phase,depending on the type of players at the table.

In an Example A, a card game 2 includes four players, e.g., players 12a, 12 b, 12 c, and 12 d. Manager 16 has decided that ante 20 b is 100credits resulting in jackpot 20 of 400 credits.

In initial phase 120, in step 122, dealer 18 deals a predeterminednumber of cards 15 to each player 12 in keeping with the kind of pokeris determined. Thus, for example in Example A, if standard 5-draw pokergame is to be emulated, each player 12 in hand 4 will be dealt by thedealer randomly five (5) cards 15, e.g., dealt cards 15 a, face down sothat the cards are visible only to the player who receives them. InTexas Hold'em poker, each player in hand 4 will be dealt by the dealerrandomly two (2) cards 15, e.g., dealt cards 15 a, face down so that thecards are visible only to the player who receives them and another five(5) cards are dealt randomly face up to a common pot for all players tosee. In Omaha poker, each player in hand 4 will be dealt by the dealerrandomly four (4) cards 15, e.g., dealt cards 15 a, and another five (5)cards are dealt randomly face up to a common pot for all players to see.

In this application, visible means that the face value of the card isrevealed, and invisible means that the face value of the card is notrevealed.

In a step 124, each of the players ante up by contributing amount 30 b.

Subsequently, cards 15 of deck 14 that have not been dealt, i.e.,undealt cards 15 b, are partially eliminated, i.e., eliminated cards 15c, immediately from the game without the players seeing them in a step126 a and 126 b. The remaining undealt cards 15 b are to be auctionedoff, i.e., auction cards 15 d, in auction phase 140.

The number of cards 15 c to be eliminated is determined in step 126 aaccording to the difference between the number of cards in the deck andthe sum of the number of cards dealt 15 a and the number of auctioncards 15 d to be auctioned. The cards to be auctioned may be provided aslisted in Table 1. In step 126 b, eliminated cards 15 c are eliminated.

TABLE 1 Number of Cards to be Auctioned Number of Players Cards to beAuctioned 2, 3, or 4 8 5 9 6 10 7 11 8 12

Thus, in Example A, a deck having 52 cards wherein four players aredealt 5 cards each and 8 cards are to be auctioned will require 24 cardsto be eliminated.

The numbers of cards to be auctioned listed in Table 1 guarantee a quickgame, suitable for casinos or online gaming. Moreover, they balanceperfectly luck and instinct with memory and calculation: the players seesome cards and have some information, but not too many, so it isdifficult to understand the hands that the other players are trying toattain and to understand if they have been successful or not. Moreover,they guarantee to all the players chances to attain a good hand (onaverage, at least four players can buy in the auction at least 2 cardseach; if they were less, the players would soon lose interest in theauction phase and, therefore, in the final phase, because it wouldbecome immediately clear that they will not attain the hand they areseeking for), but don't guarantee to any player to attain the highesthands (if the auctioned cards were more, all the players would try toattain a royal flush or a four-of-a-kind, and the game would be tooreadable and monotonous).

The computer 22 will automatically auction the number of cards listed inTable 1. Authorizing manager 16 to vary the number of cards to beauctioned using input terminal 34 (or, if manager 16 is a computer, asin online gaming, storing locally other numbers in manager 16) couldgive flexibility to the game, but these operations must be done verycarefully because of the problems cited above.

In auction phase 140, in step 142, the cards that were not eliminatedfrom the game, cards 15 d, and not dealt to the players are made visiblein a step 142 by dealer 18 and auctioned off one by one in a step 144 bymanager 16. Therein, auctioning means that when card 15 d is madevisible a bidding period starts for each player, wherein each player hasa set period of time, preferably from 3-5 seconds as measured bycomputer 22, to make his bid to buy the card. The time limit used bycomputer 22 was previously specified by manager 16 during pre-play phase100 and stored in table 200 (FIG. 3A).

If no bids are made in the within the time set, in step 144 a the cardis “burnt,” i.e. is eliminated from the game without ever being seen bythe players again.

If a player makes a bid within the established time, the same amount oftime is allowed for all players for a new and higher bid in a subsequentstep 144 b. For example, the established time is 4 seconds and the firstbid arrives after 2 seconds from the auction start: in that moment asecond bidding period of 4 seconds starts for raises and it will endafter 6 seconds from the auction start; this continues in an auctionfashion. If a second bid is not made, the card is awarded to the solebidder in a step 146 a, who must pay the amount bid into the jackpot,thereby increasing the jackpot in a step 148 a.

In one embodiment (casino table version), the players 12 enter bidsusing a keypad or touch screen 204, integrated in the table, providedfor each player 12. The players 12 can press the numeric buttons of thekeypad or the touch screen 204 and then press a “return” or “enter”button to submit the bid; the players 12 can also bid and raise bypressing buttons having fixed values (e.g. $10, $20) using bid buttons208 which don't require the “enter” button, as shown in FIG. 5C. In thisway, the players 12 can bid rapidly, with only one touch. A sampledisplay screen at the start of bidding is depicted in FIG. 5A. As shown,display screen 32 a of player 12 a displays a status bar 206 whichdisplays only the “wallet” for the auction phase, i.e. the amount thatplayer 12 a can spend during the auction phase. A sample display screenafter one or more auctioned cards and after one or more bids for anauctioned card is depicted in FIG. 5B. As shown, display screen 32 a ofplayer 12 a shows a status bar 206 which displays the highest winningbid, the best bid made by player 12 a and the “wallet” of player 12 a inthat moment.

In other embodiments (online version, video poker version) the players12 enter bids using a touch screen 204 integrated in the display 32 b(see FIG. 5D) or a keyboard connected with it: human player 12 a has adisplay screen 32 b which shows him, about each player 12 a, 12 b, 12 c,12 d, etc. . . . (players 12 b, 12 c, 12 d may be human playersconnected with him or players generated by the computer 22), the statusbar 206 and the indicators 210 (see below). Of course, display 32 bshows to the human player 12 a the cards dealt to him (which are faceup), the cards dealt to each of the other players 12 b, 12 c, 12 d etc.(which are face down), the card that is being auctioned (face up) andthe cards that each player has already purchased during the auctionphase (which are face up and remain face up until the end of the hand).If, according to the kind of poker that is being emulated, there arecommon cards, display 32 b shows these common cards (face up). Ifdisplay screen 32 b is a touch screen, the players will bid and raiseusing the numerical buttons and the enter button of the screen, or usingthe bid buttons 208 of the screen. When the player 12 a has been awardedan auctioned card, the player will eliminate it, or keep it substitutingone of his personal cards, using specific buttons of the touch screen(see FIG. 5D). If display 32 b is not a touch screen, player 12 a willbid, raise and keep or eliminate cards using the keyboard of the devicehe uses for online gaming or the keyboard of the video poker machine.

The bids entered on screens 32 a or 32 b are all recorded by computer22. The computer 22 doesn't accept bids made after the end of thebidding period.

If two or more bids are made, the card is awarded to the highest bidderin a step 146 b, who pays the amount bid for the card to another bidderhaving the second-highest bid in a step 148 b.

During the auction process, display 32 a or display 32 b displays, foreach player, a status bar 206 containing at least the highest winningbid, the player's last bid, and the amount available in his “wallet”(FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5D). In some embodiments, each display 32 a hasindicators 210 that are visible to all the players. For example, in thecase of a casino table version, the display 32 a of the player 12 withthe current highest bid may have an indicator displaying green and thedisplay 32 a of the player 12 with the second highest bid may have anindicator displaying red. As the bidding progresses, the computer 22changes the indicators 210 accordingly to reflect the player with thecurrent highest bid and the second highest bid. In the case of onlineversion or video poker version, the display 32 b of the human player 12a shows indicators 210 for each player, so he knows immediately who isthe best bidder and who is the second best bidder, without having toread all the status bars 206.

The indicators 210 may also be utilized to indicate the winner of theauction. For example, if player 12 b has won the auction, his indicator210 may blink green thrice to indicate the end of the auction for aparticular auction card 15 d; and the player with a red indicator at theend of the auction (the second-highest bidder) is awarded the sum of thewinning bid to his purse 30 and to his “wallet” 36.

Because the auction phase 140 proceeds very quickly and displays 32 amust be updated in real time to show the bid amounts, it is necessarythat the process is entirely automated (e.g., by computer 22). It is notfeasible for a human to control the automation process due to the shortbidding period length of the auction for each card 15 (auction biddingperiod length of 3-5 seconds) and to the many bids that can be made in avery short time using the fixed value bid buttons 208. Only a computercan put the many bids in chronological order, identifying in everymoment who is the best bidder and who is the second best bidder. Also,by having a computer control auction process 140, the process willproceed smoothly because the computer will be able to keep the timingconsistent unlike a human auctioneer, giving each player exactly thesame time to bid. Also, every time that an auctioned card is awarded tothe best bidder, the amount of the bid must be awarded to thesecond-best bidder: only a computer can calculate immediately whathappens in the “wallet” of the two players (the best bidder, whose“wallet” decreases, and the second-best bidder, whose “wallet” increasesof the amount bet by the first). Moreover, as the “wallet” is the limitto the amount that can be spent during the auction phase, only acomputer can control that each player doesn't spend for the auctionedcard more than the limit, i.e. more than there is in his “wallet” inthat moment, automatically excluding raises over the limit. The computer22 calculates the “wallet” adding to the jackpot (i.e. the antemultiplied by the number of players, which are inputs of steps 102 a and102 b, plus the sums added to the jackpot in the case of a sole bidder)the sums that the player received for being the second best bidder.

In an Example B, unrelated to other examples, a player 12 a bids tenpoints for an auction card 15 e and players 12 b, 12 c, and 12 d do notmake a bid. Thus, player 12 a pays ten points into the jackpot.

In an Example C, unrelated to other examples, a player 12 a bids 20points, a player 12 b bids 30 points, a player 12 c bids 40 points.Thus, player 12 c pays 40 points to player 12 b.

What the player who is awarded the auction card does with the auctioncard depends on the version of poker that is being emulated. In 5-drawpoker, the player who wins the card can decide, within the maximumperiod of time established by manager 16 in table 200, preferably from15 to 30 seconds, if he wants to keep it or “burn it,” e.g., eliminatethe card, in a step 150, i.e., step 150 a. If the player keeps the card,the card will substitute one of the cards he already holds at theplayer's discretion and remains visible to all the players for theentire hand unless it is eliminated later when substituted by a newlypurchased card.

If Texas Hold′ em poker is emulated, method 10 preferably includes astep wherein the auctioned card or cards do not substitute for one ofthe two cards dealt face down to the player who won the bid. Otherwise,in the final phase, all or all except one of the cards available forthat player could be visible to the other players. If Omaha poker isemulated, method 10 preferably includes a step wherein when one playermakes multiple winning bids, the third and subsequent auctioned cardcannot substitute one of the cards dealt face down to the player who wonthe bid. In this way, at least two dealt cards 15 a are visible only tothe player to whom cards 15 a were dealt and must remain hidden from allother players until the end of the hand. Thus, when it is not possibleto substitute a face-down card, the auctioned card, because theauctioned card must remain visible to all players, either substitutes aface-up card if existing or is added to the cards dealt to the playerwho won the bid, at the discretion of the player who won the bid. Thewinning hand is made using only five cards among those available to theplayer, using cards dealt to the player, cards common for all players ifso existing, cards awarded in the auction. Therein, it depends on thevariation of poker that is being played how many personal cards and howmany common cards have to be used. Moreover, in the initial phase, allthe cards are dealt in that type of poker are appropriately dealt, i.e.,cards that are face up or face down are dealt to the player and, ifexisting, cards common to all players. The manager 16 must decide beforethe beginning of the hand (in step 102 d) how many personal cards mustbe hidden until the end of the hand, according to the kind of poker thatis being played.

According to the kind of poker that is being played, the manager 16 mustalso decide, before the beginning of the hand (in step 102 d), if thereare or not rounds of betting before the auction phase: a round ofbetting is preferably conducted when there are cards visible to allplayers when playing Texas Hold′ em, Omaha, or Stud poker.

If the player who won the card decides to eliminate it, the card won inthe auction is eliminated from the game in a step 150, e.g., step 150 aand can no longer be seen by the players. If the player does not choosewithin the maximum time allowed in step 150 a to eliminate the card, thecard won is automatically eliminated in step 150 b.

Steps 142-150 are repeated until all cards 15 d are auctioned off.

In auction phase 140, each player is limited to an amount (“wallet” 36)that is no greater than the jackpot for purchasing cards plus, ifapplicable, any sums that player received for being the second-bestbidder.

Preferably, during auction phase 140, each player is limited to anamount equal to his residue liquidity when the player's liquidity 30 cis less than the jackpot. Liquidity 30 c, as well as the “wallet” 36,are increased only when the player is the second highest bidder, for acard being auctioned off.

Once purse 30 of a player has a liquidity 30 c equal to zero, thatplayer can no longer make any bids to purchase cards. Likewise, a playercannot make bids higher than liquidity 30 c in that player's purse 30.

Advantageously, the “wallet” 36, i.e. the limit on the amount that canbe spent during the auction phase, immediately obstructs tactics, evenif irrational, of hoarding, at any cost, of unbeatable hands, whichdampen all interest in the final phase. This encourages players whoadopt parasitic tactics to participate in the auction for speculativepurposes and also encourages players who aim to win the jackpot but whoneed more cards to attain a winning hand because they need greaterliquidity for acquiring cards. Preferably, the limit must be equal tothe jackpot, plus the sums received for being the second best bidder, inorder to encourage players to participate in the auction for speculativepurposes, giving at the same time the right importance to the auctionphase and balancing it with the importance of the final phase. Thecomputer 22 will automatically impose this limit. Authorizing manager 16to vary the limit using input terminal 34 (or, if manager 16 is acomputer, as in online gaming, storing locally another limit in manager16) could give flexibility to the game, but these operations must bedone very carefully because of the reasons cited above.

Only in the case of two or three players, the manager 16 may reduce thelimit, for example deciding that the spending limits on the auction willnot exceed half of the jackpot, plus the sums received for being thesecond-best bidder; in the case of 2 or 3 players it is useful to lowerthe limit because otherwise the movements of money during the auctionphase will make irrelevant the final phase: the player or players whohave been awarded more money for being the second-best bidder (and havepurchased few cards) have increased a lot their purse 30 but they haveno chance to win the final phase, so they will not participate in it.The manager 16 will input this decision in step 102 f.

Final phase 160 begins when there are no cards 15 d left to beauctioned. Then, in a step 162, the player who has the highest score,based only on the visible cards, may declare that he wants to play forthe jackpot as it is, i.e., “check,” in a step 162 a or may make his ownbet in a step 162 b.

If the player who has the highest score has declared he wants to checkin step 162 a, the next player in a clockwise rotation may second thecheck in a step 164 a or may decide to make a bet in a step 164 b.

If the second player has decided to make a bet in a step 164 b, the nextplayer in the clockwise rotation may raise the bet in a step 166 b, callthe first player's bet by matching the first player's bet in a step 166c, or abandon the hand, i.e., “fold” in a step 166 d. If the secondplayer has decided to declare check in step 164 a, the third player maydeclare check in step 166 a, or undertake steps 166 b, 166 c, or 166 d.Subsequent players in the clockwise rotation will then be called inorder to choose one of steps 166 a, 166 b, 166 c or 166 d until rotation17 returns to the first player, i.e., the player who has the highestscore. Preferably, each user 12 utilizes buttons shown on display 32 bto indicate if the player desires to check, fold, or call the hand. Thisis necessary in the case of online gaming or video poker version.

During final phase 160, no player is allowed to raise an adversary whohas bet all his remaining liquidity, i.e., liquidity 30 c. If the bet ofone or more players exceeds the liquidity 30 c of a player that, due tohis position at the table, must still speak, the player who hasinsufficient funds preferably has to be compelled to choose between twoalternatives. The player can fold in accordance with step 166 d and inthis case the other players' bets will remain valid; otherwise, theplayer with insufficient funds will have to bet all his remaining funds,i.e., liquidity 30 c, in step 166 c, and the other players will beobliged to reduce their bets to match his betting amount in a step 168.

Therein jackpot 20 is won in a step 170 by the player whose last bet,e.g., the initial bet, if it has not been raised, or last raise, has notbeen matched by another player, e.g., all the other players haveabandoned the game, or the player with the highest score between the onewho made the initial bet but was not followed by raises or the lastraise and all those who “called” or matched his bet, in the case of noraises, or matched overall amount from the last raise. If all theplayers have declared they want to check, the hand with the highestscore wins according to the below hierarchical hands.

Preferably, if a player uses the entirety of his liquidity 30 c duringthe auction phase, the player is obliged to participate in the finalphase and the other players cannot bet any amount, e.g., all playersmust check. If the player does not win the final phase, he is eliminatedfrom the game as disclosed further below.

Advantageously, having a player with a liquidity 30 c of zero stronglyinfluences the freedom and expectations of the other players, but alsocreates greater interest in the auction since players who aspire to winthe jackpot must also consider the possibility of “enriching” a nearlybankrupt player by systematically raising the nearly bankrupt player'sbids in order to win a potentially richer jackpot.

Similarly, also step 168 influences the freedom of the others playersand could disturb the flow of the game. Steps may be taken to mitigatesuch effect. For example, the player making an “all in” bet less thanhis adversaries if he wins, cannot receive an amount greater than hisbet from each adversary.

In post-play phase 180, a player whose liquidity 30 c is zero during thefinal phase is eliminated from the game in a step 182 a prior to playinganother hand. Likewise, a player who has a liquidity 30 c of less thanthe sum required to ante up in a subsequent for the next hand iseliminated from the game in a step 182 b.

Herein, the manager of the game may end the game by cancellingsubsequent hands when the surviving players, i.e., players who have notbeen eliminated, are below a preferred number of players, e.g., 2 or 3.Thus, the player who, at that moment, has the greatest liquidity 30 c isthen the winner of the game and receives the eventual awards establishedby the manager.

The post-play phase 180 may be followed by another game 2 or hand 4.

Card game 2 is suitable for tournaments, wherein successive levelsdepending on the liquidity of the players at any given moment and/oreventually increasing the ante amount during the course of thetournament to force players to quit and, if the final objective is toarrive at a one-on-one final, changing the amount that can be usedduring the auction in relation to the jackpot. In general, in the formof “cash game,” as well as obviously in the form of a tournament withwinnings and losses set according to the classification of thetournament, this game tends to limit the losses of less talented orunlucky players, allowing them to vary their survival strategies. Thegame manager can always vary the amount to play each hand in order toobtain the desired effects.

The hierarchy of hands, in decreasing order, are straight flush, poker(four-of-a-kind), full house, flush, straight, three-of-a-kind, twopairs, pair, and high card. The following rules about the hierarchy ofhands are preferable (but not necessary) because they maximize theimportance of some cards (usually, the cards having the suit: hearts),so making the auction phase more interesting. Anyway, it is possible touse the normal rules, according to the kind of poker that is beingplayed and the country in which it is being played.

A straight flush consists of five contiguous cards of the same suit, forexample: 8-9-10-J-Q, all diamonds. The highest straight possible is10-J-Q-K-A. The lowest straight has the Ace as the lowest card; forexample, in the case of a 52-card deck (where the lowest card would bethe 2): A-2-3-4-5.

When comparing straight flushes, the hand with the highest top cardwins, but the lowest straight wins over the highest straight (while itloses to all the others). When comparing straight flushes with the samehigh card, the winning hand depends on the suit, for which there is adecreasing order of hearts-diamonds-clubs-spades.

A poker (Four-of-a-kind) consists of four of the same card, for example:J-J-J-J. When comparing pokers, the hand holding the card with thehighest value wins.

A full house consists of three-of-a-kind and a pair; for example:Q-Q-Q-10-10. When comparing full houses, the hand with the highestthree-of-a-kind wins, for example, J-J-J-9-9 wins over 10-10-10-A-A.

A flush consists of five cards of the same suit, but not in contiguousorder, for example, 8-9-J-Q-K, all spades. When comparing flushes, thewinning hand depends on the suit, for which there is a decreasing orderof hearts-diamonds-clubs-spades. When comparing two flushes of the samesuit, the flush with the highest card wins.

A straight consists of five contiguous cards, but not all of the samesuit. The highest straight possible is 10-J-Q-K-A. The lowest straightuses the Ace as the lowest card; an example when playing with a 52-carddeck would be: A-2-3-4-5. When comparing straights, the hand with thehighest top card wins. In contrast to straight flushes, the loweststraight never wins over the highest straight (and therefore loses toall other straights). When comparing straights with the same high card,the winning hand depends on the suit, for which there is a decreasingorder of hearts-diamonds-clubs-spades.

A three-of-a-kind consists of three of the same cards, for example:A-A-A. When comparing three-of-a-kinds, the card with the highest valuewins.

A two pairs consists of two pairs of cards, for example: A-A-9-9. Whencomparing hands with two pairs, the pair of cards with the highest valuewins, for example, A-A-5-5 wins over K-K-Q-Q. If the pairs with thehighest value are the same, the second pair with the highest value wins:for example, K-K-10-10 wins over K-K-8-8.

If the two pairs are identical, the hand in which the pair with thehighest value contains the hearts wins.

A pair consists of two of the same card, for example, for example: Q-Q.When comparing pairs, the pair with the card of the highest value wins;for example 10-10 wins over 7-7. When comparing pairs of equal value,the pair containing the hearts wins.

If none of the players has attained any of the previous hands, theplayer with the highest card in his hand wins. For example, A-4-6-8-9wins over K-Q-J-9-8. If the card with the highest value is identical,the card with the highest value according to the hierarchy of suitswins, always in the decreasing order of hearts-diamonds-clubs-spades.

Herein, the hierarchy explained above may be varied to make itcorrespond to that used in variations of poker more common in the placewhere the game is being played, thereby satisfying the tastes and habitsof local players. For example, the game manager 16 may impose theclassic rule by which equivalent hands, for example, flushes, two pairsthe same, are decided by the highest card present in the flush or by thefifth card in the case of a comparison between two pairs. This wouldmake the game slightly less readable, because winning would depend moreon the adversary's invisible cards, while assigning the hierarchyaccording to the suit makes the value of the cards up for auction moreexplicit, resulting in a more heated auction. A greater readability ofthe game attained through the hierarchy of hands is therefore generallyconsidered an advantage, given that making the game less readable can beeasily attained by reducing the number of cards put up for auction.

However, preferably, there is always a hierarchy for comparing the handsso as to avoid having to split the winnings among more than one winner:this contributes to maintaining the importance of the auction andclarifies the maximum value of the cards put up for auction.

Advantageously, the most important feature of this game, in addition tothe enjoyment typical of games of chance, is the speed and the rhythm:the game obliges the player to change his strategy quickly and severaltimes during a hand, with the risk of losing control over how much he isspending or the risk of spending during auctions for a single card incomparison to the actual amount staked.

For this reason, players preferably must have, naturally in addition toa minimum of luck, good memory because various cards are made visible,psychological introspection to “read” the strategies of the otherplayers, and quick decision-making and calculation skills.

At least three different versions of the game are possible: Casino tableversion (with croupier), Casino or public establishment videogameversion, and online version.

Therein, the essential function of the computer, which must be presentin all the versions, is the capacity to allow a set period of time,preferably 3-5 seconds, to bid on individual cards, excluding bids madebeyond the time limit and chronologically ordering the bids made, sothat when the auction for a single card ends (because no other bids havearrived within the set time period), all the players can immediately andvisually understand which player made the highest bid and which playermade the second-best bid. If only one bid is made, it must obviously bevisually clear to all the players that only one bid was made and whomade it.

The computer 22 must allow the manager 16 to adjust the bidding periodof the auction phase. If he extends the time limit, the game tends tofavor the rational, calculating, and introspective components; if hereduces the time limit, the game moves faster and takes on a moreinstinctive connotation.

Because the displays 32 a, computer 22, and manager 16 are allconnected, the auction phase can be conducted much more quickly than ifmanager 16 had to keep track of all the bids by hand; in any case,manager 16 would never be able to do it in the case of many bids in ashort time and he would never be able to give each player the same timeto bid. Also, because each display 32 a has an indicator and displaysthe current bid status, each player can make more informed biddingdecisions.

The computer 22 allows an automatic calculation concerning the overallbetting limits, above all during the auction phase and in the finalphase, thereby automatically preventing the player from bidding a sumgreater than his “wallet” at the auction, for example.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention,game 2 preferably balances luck and skill, e.g., mnemonic, mathematical,and psychological introspection. Therein, one or more variations arepossible. For example, it may be possible to introduce a number of cardsto be visualized from the dealing of the cards.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention,method 10 may include varying the number of cards dealt, or thosevisible only to the player who has received them, and introduce cardscommon to all the players.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention,method 10 may include keeping the “burnt” cards visible for the entireduration of the game.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention,method 10 may institute an auction with “one-off” bids, e.g., noraising, and/or with a secret bidding procedure.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention,method 10 may always add the amount bid to the ante or use the bids fora jackpot to be won at the end in relation to the points attained by thewinning player.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention,method 10 may require that the amount of players' bids can be depositedin the jackpot even if the player did not win the card.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention whenit is decided to play with fewer than 52 cards, preferably the lowestcards (the 2, then 3, etc.) are eliminated first. Advantageously, theseadvisable values concerning the number of cards to be used and, later,the number of cards to be auctioned determine a balanced proportionamong the various hands that the player can attain (for example and inparticular, full house, flush, or straight) coherent with the hierarchyof the same and with the probability of reaching them, so that there isno hand that, due to probability and hierarchy, becomes an essentiallyobligatory objective for all the players, being the one that wouldguarantee the winning of nearly all the hands (in other words, of theindividual games). Even the potential existence, however, of imbalancesin favor of a particular hand, if on one side may make the game moreroutine and less interesting from certain points of view, on the otherit may be compensated for by the greater “readability” of theadversaries' game, resulting in a more combative auction phase, asdescribed below.

By using fewer cards than the standard 52 cards in a deck whilemaintaining the same number of cards that are auctioned, higher hands(especially poker and full) can be attained by all players. For example,with 4 players using a deck of 44 cards and putting 8 up for auction,more full houses can be had and poker will not be a rare occurrence.

The effect can be reduced or annulled by cutting the number of cards putup for auction: in the example, reducing them to 6 or fewer.

In fact, there are different points of balance, obtained by associatinga number of cards that make up the deck and a number of cards to beauctioned off, which produce similar effects on the level of handsplayers may attain. For example, with 4 players, playing with a deck of44 cards and putting 8 up for auction is essentially equivalent, inrelation to the hands normally attainable, to playing with 48 cards andputting 9 up for auction, or with 40 cards with 7 up for auction.

Preferably, the entire deck of 52 cards is used, because it would, inany case, be necessary to have a maneuvering margin on the number ofcards to be auctioned off in the case of 8 players, and to avoid a fullhouse from having too great an advantage over the flush. With 52 cards,the probability of obtaining a full house is not much lower than theprobability of attaining a flush, and the gap is further reduced bycutting the number of cards in the deck (to the point of being null andinverted); considering that with 52 cards the full house must win overthe flush, reducing the number of cards in the deck from 52 to—forexample—44, the players will be obliged to give up hopes for a flush,given that with all probability, at least one adversary will counterwith a full house. Unless an excessive number of cards is auctioned off(which would make it easy to attain even pokers and straight flushes),the full house will then become a normally winning hand to be sought byall the players.

Furthermore, a full house has two more advantages over the flush: it canoften be attained by acquiring only two cards (it would suffice to havea pair in the five cards dealt, which is quite common, and in any casemore common than having three cards of the same suit), and it is aneasier hand to hide, because the two cards have no apparent relationshipbetween them (while the attempt to acquire a second card of the samesuit would immediately alarm the other players and cause theiropposition during the auction).

Preferably, greater readability of the game can make the auction moreinteresting (all the players know that their adversaries are seeking afull house, and will therefore seek to obstruct him from acquiring asecond card, whatever it may be), but the effect is partial, becausethere is no certainty about which full house the adversaries are seeking(and it is therefore difficult to distinguish the sincere interest inacquiring a card from merely participating in the auction forspeculative purposes. So it may happen that the hand is attained withthe acquisition of a card other than those that had found greateropposition on behalf of the adversaries). Using a full deck of 52 cards,therefore, guarantees a chance at a flush and to the players who try toattain it, thereby preventing an important and somewhat readable handthat tends to “fuel” the auction from essentially being excluded fromthe game.

Preferably, a small number of players (2, 3) is avoided. With twoplayers, in general, the card game changes considerably. The playersbecome encouraged to act more cautiously in that the player who paysmore for the first cards, when there is a limit to the overall purchaseprice, would be helpless when compared to his adversary because he wouldhave much less liquidity to purchase the remaining cards. This wouldallow his adversary to buy, and at reduced prices, all the cards thattruly interest him.

Therein, the relationship between the auction phase and the final phasevaries considerably in that the movement of money (or points) during theauction phase tend to exceed the winning of the ante: it is in factprobable that a player, as soon as he realizes he cannot attain awinning hand, will adopt a parasitic tactic and immediately give upbetting in the final phase, by which the player aspiring to win will notfind an adversary willing to raise the stakes. This effect, to a lesserextent, may also occur in the case of 3 players. In brief, players tendto weigh the pros and cons, and calculation skills and rationality tendto be rewarded.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with specificembodiments, it is to be understood that many alternatives,modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in theart in light of the foregoing description.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of playing a card game, the card gamecomprising a plurality of players competing for a jackpot contributed bythe plurality of players, each player having access to a respectivedisplay and a respective keypad or a touchscreen, the method comprisingthe steps of: performing by a computer an auction phase, the auctionphase comprising the steps of (a) displaying a face value of an auctioncard to each player on the respective display; (b) auctioning theauction card in a bidding period; (c) (i) eliminating the auction cardwhen none of the players makes a bid for the auction card, (ii) if a bidis made, entering the bid by at least one player using the respectivekeypad or touchscreen, receiving by the computer from the at least oneplayer the bid on the auction card, displaying on the respective displayto the player with a current highest bid an indicator of in a firstcolor; and (d) ending the auction of the auction card after the biddingperiod when no additional bids are received; (e) if there was only asingle bid on the auction card, determining the single bid to be thewinning bid and allowing the player that made the single bid to decideto keep or reject the card during a decision period and requiring theplayer to pay an amount of the single bid into the jackpot; (f) if therewere multiple bids, determining a highest bid to be the winning bid andallowing the player that made the highest bid to decide keep or rejectthe card during a decision period, and requiring the player that madethe highest bid to pay an amount of the winning bid to a player having asecond highest bid; (g) calculating and limiting by the computer aliquidity that a player can use during the auction phase to an amount ofthe jackpot plus the amount that the player received for having thesecond highest bid when that player has made the second highest bid instep (f); wherein steps (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g), areperformed by the computer for a plurality of auction cards.
 2. Themethod of playing a card game of claim 1, wherein the display alsodisplays a hand currently held by each player, a current winning bid, aplayer's current highest bid, and an amount each player can still spendduring the auction phase.
 3. The method of playing a card game of claim2, wherein the bidding period comprises a range from 3 to 5 seconds. 4.The method of playing a card game of claim 1, wherein a manager sets thebidding period using an input terminal in advance of the auction phase.5. The method of playing a card game of claim 1, wherein the auctionphase is repeated for a plurality of cards.
 6. The method of playing acard game of claim 5, wherein the plurality of auction cards compriseeight cards when the plurality of players is four or fewer players. 7.The method of playing a card game of claim 5, wherein the plurality ofauction cards comprise ten cards when the plurality of players is sixplayers.
 8. The method of playing a card game of claim 1, wherein thefirst color is green.
 9. The method of playing a card game of claim 1,wherein, if there were multiple bids for the auction card, the indicatorof the player with the second highest bid is shown in a second color.10. The method of playing a card game of claim 9, wherein the secondcolor is red.
 11. The method of playing a card game of claim 1, whereinthe bidding period and the decision period are chosen in advance of theauction phase by a manager and stored in the computer which performs thegame.
 12. The method of playing a card game of claim 1, furthercomprising eliminating by the computer a plurality of cards that areneither dealt nor auctioned.
 13. The method of playing a card game ofclaim 1, further comprising the step of substituting the auction card bythe player who makes the winning bid for a card held by the player whomakes the winning bid.
 14. The method of playing a card game of claim 1,wherein the indicator is visible to the other players.
 15. The method ofplaying a card game of claim 1, comprising a step of performing a finalphase and limiting a bet to a maximum of 1.5 times the jackpot in thefinal phase.
 16. The method of playing a card game of claim 1, whereinthe keypad or the touchpad comprises at least one bid button having apredetermined bid value.
 17. A method of managing a card game by acomputer; the card game comprising a plurality of players competing fora jackpot contributed by the plurality of players and a plurality ofcards dealt from a simulated full deck of cards to the plurality ofplayers, each player having access to a respective display and arespective keypad, the method comprising the steps of: performing anauction phase by the computer, the auction phase comprising the steps of(a) revealing a face value of an auction card on the respective displayto each player; (b) auctioning the auction card in a bidding period thatis timed by the computer; and (c) (i) eliminating the auction card whennone of the players makes a bid for the auction card, (ii) receiving bythe computer from at least one player a bid on the auction card enteredby the at least one player using the respective keypad, (iii) awardingthe auction card to a player who makes a sole bid and requiring theplayer to pay an amount of the sole bid into the jackpot, or (iv)awarding the auction card to a player who makes a winning bid among aplurality of bids and requiring the player to pay an amount of thewinning bid to a player having a second highest bid; (d) calculating andlimiting by the computer a liquidity that a player can use during theauction phase to an amount of the jackpot plus the amount that theplayer received for having the second highest bid when that player hasmade the second highest bid in step (c)(iv); wherein steps (a), (b),(c), and (d), are performed by the computer for a plurality of auctioncards; wherein the plurality of auction cards is less cards than adifference between the plurality of cards dealt to the plurality ofplayers and a number of cards in the full deck of cards.